Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 172

#171. The Emergence of a New Weapon

He hadn’t realized it back when they were winning championships every other year.

The young baseball player, who had played as the starting third baseman from 2015 to 2019 during the Warriors’ golden era, lifting three championship trophies, was now thirty-five, the team’s oldest player, stepping onto the Korean Series stage for the first time in eight years.

‘Man-sik…’

What he truly regretted was that Lee Man-sik, his most cherished junior and brother, who had shared the Warriors’ rise and fall with him, wasn’t here.

Just yesterday, he had received a call from Japan.

His cheerful voice, saying the surgery went well and all that was left was to recover and work hard on rehabilitation, was still vivid.

Jo Sung-oh had no doubt that Lee Man-sik would make a successful comeback.

He believed that the stubborn guy, who had consistently held his ground even when faced with more difficult challenges, wouldn’t leave the mound so easily.

But,

But would the day come when he could stand on the Korean Series stage with him again?

Although he had achieved better-than-expected personal results this season, he was now an aging veteran who could falter at any moment. Moreover, he would have to discuss re-signing with the team again at the end of this season.

On top of that, Lee Man-sik needed at least a year for rehabilitation.

The most terrifying thing for athletes isn’t the enemy, but time.

Jo Sung-oh knew very well that no great player could be free from the passage of time.

He had witnessed with his own eyes how the seniors who had dominated the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] before them had retired.

Perhaps that’s why, even with Incheon determined as their Korean Series opponent and the fans, who had endured a long period of darkness, sending fervent support, Jo Sung-oh couldn’t muster any enthusiasm.

He knew he shouldn’t be like this as the team’s captain, leading his juniors, but he couldn’t shake off the gloom.

But today, Jo Sung-oh’s spirits, which had been sinking into the depths, suddenly began to lift.

[Korean Series Rematch, Seoul Warriors vs. Incheon Rangers, Han Su-hyeok and Derrick Bell Announced as Game 1 Starters]

[Han Su-hyeok, plagued by shoulder injury rumors at the end of the season, shows his strength by being named Game 1 starter]

[Lim Jun-yeong, Derrick Bell Picked as Game 1 Starter Instead of Mike Clark: “I am Reborn,” What Does it Mean?]

[Experts Predict Warriors to Win Game 1, but Rangers Still Favored to Win the Overall Series]

[The Weight of the Mound Without Veteran Lee Man-sik, Minor Injuries to Key Players, and Still Thin Depth are the Warriors’ Weaknesses]

[Rangers Defeat Magicians 3-2 in the Playoffs, Ahead in Game Sense]

[Warriors Aim to Reclaim the Throne After 8 Years, and Rangers Challenge for Their Second Consecutive Championship, Who Will Be the Ultimate Winner?]

Initially, Ryan Stark was the likely starter for Game 1 of the Korean Series, but Han Su-hyeok was announced instead.

It wasn’t a big deal.

It was just a change in the starting pitcher’s name.

But that simple fact alone completely changed the atmosphere of the entire Warriors team, including Jo Sung-oh.

Except for Jo Sung-oh, Lee Chang-mo, and Choi Min-seok in the Warriors’ starting lineup, none of them had any Korean Series experience.

The players, who were unknowingly intimidated by the excitement, tension, and fear of stepping onto the Korean Series stage for the first time, became completely different people with just the announcement of Han Su-hyeok’s start.

Among them, what particularly encouraged Jo Sung-oh was this.

[When Asked if He Was Confident in the Warriors Winning the Korean Series, Han Su-hyeok Said, “Of Course. And Starting This Year, We Will Build a New Dynasty.”]

A seemingly insignificant interview.

An interview article that he would have previously dismissed as the enthusiastic declaration of a young player made Jo Sung-oh feel good.

‘Not only winning this year but also building a new dynasty…’

The thought alone made his heart race.

Although he was now entering the ranks of veterans, it didn’t matter even if he wasn’t a starter.

He just wanted to keep playing in the Warriors uniform.

If they were to build a dynasty as Han Su-hyeok said, he could hold Lee Man-sik’s hand again and stand on the Korean Series stage next year, or the year after.

It was Han Su-hyeok, who he believed might be the best player in the world, who had confidently declared it.

From now on, his job was to silently help Han Su-hyeok’s ambition become a reality.

Jo Sung-oh, who had recorded the second-best batting stats in the team this season after Han Su-hyeok but was still unaware of his position, unconsciously smiled.

What he wanted now was just one thing: to be a small help in the new Warriors dynasty that Han Su-hyeok would create.

* * *

Han Jae-ho, the interim manager who took over the Incheon Rangers, replacing Hwang Byung-ho, who had left the team as if he were being chased out.

His eyes were trembling, as he was the closest junior and a devout follower of Koo Yong-sik, the former manager who had laid the foundation for today’s Incheon Rangers.

‘What on earth is that…?’

He led the team, which Hwang Byung-ho had made a mess of, and played the playoffs against the Magicians.

He called back Kang Woo-chan, Min Joo-hyun, and Kwon Gil-yong, who had been kicked out for insubordination, and consoled them. He sent back to the minor leagues some of the trashy guys he had called up to suit his taste.

And most importantly, he carefully cared for Lim Jun-yeong, the team’s ace, who had been ruined by Hwang Byung-ho’s overuse, and made it this far.

Facing the Magicians was not easy.

Although they finished the season in fourth place, it was the result of several misfortunes.

Simply considering the power of the starting lineup and the stakes in a short-term game, the team Incheon was most wary of was the Magicians.

They defeated such Magicians 3-2 and advanced to the Korean Series.

In the process, he had to put Lim Jun-yeong in as closer in the final Game 5, but fortunately, he didn’t throw many pitches, so no major problems occurred.

Of course, in return, the starting lineup for this Korean Series had to be operated in the order of Derrick Bell – Mike Clark – Lim Jun-yeong – Kim Yong-jae.

It was a shame that he couldn’t put the ace on the mound in Game 1, but it couldn’t be helped. After all, they wouldn’t have made it to the Korean Series without him.

The only thing Manager Han Jae-ho believed in was that the Warriors’ ace, Han Su-hyeok, was also not in perfect condition with his shoulder.

There had been rumors that Han Su-hyeok’s shoulder, who had been pitching and hitting since his debut year and had even gone to the WBC [World Baseball Classic], was not in perfect condition.

The Warriors side strongly denied it, but Han Su-hyeok’s pitching, which he faced directly in the last game of the season, was somewhat different from his normal form throughout the season.

So he expected it. He wondered if a pitcher other than Han Su-hyeok would come out as the Game 1 starter.

But it wasn’t.

The Warriors announced Han Su-hyeok as the Game 1 starter.

Nevertheless, Han Jae-ho was not discouraged.

If these kinds of rumors were circulating, it meant there was something wrong with his shoulder, whether big or small.

So what instructions would the Warriors give to Han Su-hyeok?

Pitches with as little power as possible, no matter how much he threw, only 7 innings.

That was the conclusion Han Jae-ho came to.

But…

But something was strange.

First of all, the Warriors’ starting lineup was a bit odd.

1st Center Fielder Seo Hyeong-ju

2nd Left Fielder Choi Min-seok

3rd 1st Baseman Jo Sung-oh

4th Catcher Walter Smith

5th Pitcher Han Su-hyeok

6th 3rd Baseman Ahn Chi-wook

7th 2nd Baseman Lee Chang-mo

8th Right Fielder Kim Su-hak

9th Shortstop Yoo In-cheol

Han Jae-ho tilted his head and muttered, puzzled by the starting lineup that was far from his expectations.

“Did that bastard Deok-su get injured or something?”

It was Jang Deok-su who was in charge of the Warriors’ home this season.

This player, who wore the catcher’s mask in more than 85% of all games, was also the Warriors’ key hitter.

Such Jang Deok-su was completely out of the lineup and sitting on the bench. And instead, foreign player Walter Smith started as the starting catcher.

Why?

Manager Han Jae-ho’s question was further heightened as the Warriors’ battery [pitcher and catcher] stepped onto the ground in the top of the first inning.

The mitt of Walter Smith, who was playing as catcher today, was strange.

It was not a typical catcher’s mitt, but a first baseman’s mitt used in softball.

A large and massive mitt, prepared to catch a specific ball.

At that moment, an absurd thought flashed through Han Jae-ho’s mind.

“Could it be, no way, that crazy…”

* * *

Whoosh

Boom

Bang!

“Strike!”

– Ah, what on earth is going on! Something completely unexpected is happening. Han Su-hyeok is mowing down Incheon hitters with a knuckleball that he has never shown this season! None of the three hitters in the first inning even managed to swing their bats at Han Su-hyeok’s pitches!

– Hehehehe.

– Commissioner?

– Hahahaha!

– Please don’t just laugh, please commentate first…

– Ah, I’m sorry. It’s just that I’m enjoying such a great sight.

– First of all, more than anything else, viewers are curious about that knuckleball. What kind of pitch is it?

– To put it simply, it’s a pitch that minimizes the rotation of the ball as much as possible, so even the pitcher who throws it can’t predict where the ball will go. To give an example from soccer, there’s a knuckleball free kick, right? You can think of it as the same principle.

– Ah, I understand. But why is Han Su-hyeok suddenly throwing a knuckleball today?

– It’s simple. As everyone knows, even though Han Su-hyeok has a steel shoulder, his shoulder has been strained while playing this season. It’s only natural. After all, he’s a player who is pitching and hitting.

– And?

– I honestly thought Han Su-hyeok would lower his speed a bit in today’s game and pitch to get outs. It’s still effective to throw at around 155 km/h [kilometers per hour]. But Han Su-hyeok has come up with a completely different solution.

– What solution is that?

– To put it very simply, that knuckleball is the ball that veteran pitchers who have lost their speed due to shoulder injuries choose last. It puts less strain on the shoulder, so even pitchers over 40 can throw it, and if they want to, they can easily throw 200 in a game.

– Aha, so…?

– Yes, Han Su-hyeok is saying this right now. To be honest, I’m also human, so it’s hard. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to just take it easy and throw for 5 innings and then step down. Here, I’ve brought a new weapon, so try to hit it if you can.

– Ah, I’m getting goosebumps just listening to it. So, Walter Smith wearing a catcher’s mitt today must be related to this knuckleball.

– Yes, I’ll have to check the records, but Walter Smith probably has experience catching knuckleballs in the United States. Even if Jang Deok-su is better overall as a catcher, the knuckleball is a ball that is absolutely difficult to catch unless you are a trained catcher.

– Hmm, so replacing the hitter foreign player in the middle of the season has become a divine move.

– Of course. But all of this is only possible because of Han Su-hyeok. Look at the first inning today. Although it’s a bit slower than usual, he’s still throwing a 160 km/h fastball, and a 120 km/h knuckleball that dances in the air is coming. Who can hit that?

– Hmm…

– Well, in this case, experts will have to revise their predictions a bit. The penalty for Han Su-hyeok’s shoulder condition has disappeared. If Han Su-hyeok pitches again after today’s Game 1, Incheon will essentially start with two losses.

– Indeed…

– Anyway, that’s the experts’ business, and baseball fans can just enjoy the wonderful pitching show that Han Su-hyeok is putting on. The knuckleball, which had disappeared from the domestic stage for a while, has been revived!

– But Commissioner.

– Yes?

– If the knuckleball is so difficult to throw… where did Han Su-hyeok learn it?

– Who knows?